CONGEDO. Kilografie-Acqueforti- Acquarelli-Tricromie-Litografie-Pitture A Olio-Ex-Libris-Elemeti Decorativi-Bianco E Nero-Partecipazioni, ecc. [110 ORIGINAL WOODCUTS & 180 ORIGINAL LITHOGRAPHS]

Bologna: Instituto Aldini-Valeriani, 1938. First edition. Hardcover. Very good+. Folio. [1, 6], [8], 40pp., [8]pp., unpaginated. Bound in period tan cloth with original illustrated wraps in gray, with brown lettering and green ruling on cover bound in. Introduction by Cesare Ratta and texts by Nino Finamore and Arrigo Pozzi recognizing the extensive work of Cesare Ratta as an editor. The catalog is issued in fourteen parts and represents an exhaustive collection of Italian art of the first forty years of the 20th Century, including one section on 19th Century art. Not included in this collection, published in the fourteenth year of the fascist regime of Mussolini, is the modern art, e.g. Futurists, and overt fascist art.

The comprehensive catalog opens with a forty page, paginated and illustrated essay, dedicated to and commemorating the work of Cesare Ratta. It is entitled "Book Illustration in Italy. Cesare Ratta Exceptional Editor," and features original woodcuts, including a portrait of Ratta by Ercole Dogliani, lithographs and reproductions of drawings, several in three colors. Following is a bibliography including two lists of books by Cesare Ratta, one with in print editions, the other with out of print editions, biographical notes on Ratta, a commendation by Mussolini, and a list of venues exhibiting Ratta's works.

The catalog contains a total of 892 plates with 110 original woodcuts, 180 lithographical reproductions of paintings, drawings, woodcuts, linocuts, and Ex-Libris designs by 245 Italian artists, the majority of the illustration of books edited by Cesare Ratta. The artwork featured is printed on various paper grades, and organized into numerous sections, separated by illustrated title pages. It includes commercial as well as noncommercial publications. Several of the original artworks are printed to double pages, an numerous foldouts. "The printing was completed on December 22, 1936, fifteenth year of the fascist era). Printing and typographical composition were entrusted to three city printers."

The richness of images in b/w and color as well as the subject matters presented in this volume make it a valuable contribution to the artistic scene of the time in Italy as well as a paean to Cesare Ratta's editorial work. It predominantly contains work from the 20th Century, a small section with 19th century art, with many of the color reproduction pasted to cardboard or regular pages, a section commemorating the "deeds of the leaders of the Great War," one section with reviews of his own publications by Cesare Ratta, an extensive section featuring Guiseppe Foglia's Exhibition at the "Lyceum" in Milan, among many other subjects. This work was published in an edition of 200 numbered copies. Our copy is an out-of series production.

Text in Italian. Very light wear along edges of binding. Few page with light damp-staining, one signature attached only at bottom strings. Some age-toning to heavy, handmade paper plates. Seventh to last plate with water damage and repaired with white stiff paper frame, Sixth to last plate with some light damp-staining, effecting artwork, and last plate with some smudging of frame, not affecting art. (Inventory #: 54128)